Snap hook structure



April 18, 1950 H. J. STALKER SNAP Hoox STRUCTURE Filed July 2l, 1945 YIIII/ y man' Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATES @ATENT OFFICE SNAP HOOK STRUCTURE Herbert J. Stalker, `Essexvlle, Mich., assigner of one-halfto MartinC.'Klann, Bay City, Mich.

5 Claims.

My invention in general relates to .snap hook structures Yadaptable to a Wide `variety of uses.

One-.of the primeobjemts of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and easily operable snap hook structure composed of few parts, all of substantial design and which can be readily manufactured and assembled.

Another objectis to provide a snap hook to suit handles of various lengths and in which all of the mechanism, with the exception of the thumb actuator and the hook, can be concealed from view, also eliminating the possibility of snagging on wearing apparel or other articles with which it may come into contact.

A further object is to design a snap hook which can be easily operated by one hand, leaving the other free for performing any desired operation or work.

A still further object is to design a balanced snap hook mechanism which can be easily manipulated and which firmly snaps to any anchorage.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side-elevational view showing my snap hook mechanism applied to a dip net and attached to a belt.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a dip net handle taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4 and showing my snap hook in position thereon.

Fig. 3 is a part-sectional top plan view, part or the handle being broken away to show the operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, transverse-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, end-elevational View of the thumb rest slide.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing in which I have shown the invention applied to a dip net such as used by fishermen and sportsmen in general.

The dip net is of conventional design and comprises a handle B in which a circular frame 'I is mounted, and a net 8 secured to said frame as usual, and while in the present instance I have shown the snap hook installed in a dip net han- 2 dle, it will be understood that this is for illustration only, and is not to be construed as a limitation of the use of the structure.

The handle can be formed o1 wood or any other desired material, being bored as at 9 to accommodate the mechanism, and an opening ID is provided in the 'face of the handle as shown.

A face plate il forms a closure for the opening Iii, and screws t2 serve to secure it in position, a slot E3 being provided therein and for a purpose to be presently described.

The mechanism is mounted in a bore 9, and includes a horizontally disposed assembly comprising spaced-apart, inner and outer disk-shaped end members I 4 and I5 respectively, the member I5 having a flange F and forming a closure for the open end of the bore S, and is secured in position by screws I, circumierentially spaced rod members I'I, i8 and I9 respectively connect the end members of spool S, the rod I9 projecting through the end member I5, the free end section being shaped to form a hook 20, the end of which is bored as at 2| to accommodate the shouldered end 22 of the latch 23.

A centrally disposed rod 24 extends through the disk-shaped end member I4, and a plunger 25 is rigidly mounted thereon, said plunger being bored to accommodate and slide on the rods I'I, I8 and I9. The springs 26 and ZliiL are mounted on the rods I'I and I3 and are interposed between the plunger 25 and the inner end member I4 as shown.

The latch member 23 is anchored in the plunger 25 and is slidable in the members I4 and I5 as the plunger is actuated, so that the shouldered end 22 accurately registers with the bored end of the hook as the mechanism is actuated.

A knurled thumb rest T is slidably mounted on the face plate II, said rest being slotted `as at 21 to accommodate the upstanding iin 28 of the slide 29, and a pin 3U serves to secure the slide in position. Wings 3i are formed on the slide 29 as shown and slidably engage the bottom face of the face plate, and a threaded opening 34 (see Fig. 5) is provided in the depending leg 32 for threaded engagement with the threaded end 33 of the rod 24 so that it may be adjusted as desired.

The device is adaptable for a wide variety of uses, and in connection with any object or article where it is desired to quickly snap onto a support, rigid or flexible, and by use of one hand only.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to open the latch to hook the net onto `a, belt B or an article of clothing, etc., it is merely necessary to actuate the thumb resi', T to retract the rod 24 and with it the plunger 25; compressing the springs 26 and 26a; the latch 23 moving inwardly with the plunger, so that the hook can be inserted in any loop, piece of clothing, or article, and upon release of the thumb rest, the springs 26 and 26a force the plunger outwardly and snap the latch to closed position.

From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that I have perfected a Very simple, prac-` tical and ecient snap hook for dip nets and various other devices.

What I claim is:

1. A snap hook structure of the class described, comprising a handle formed with an elongated bore therein, spaced-apart inner and outer end members mounted in said bore, rods connecting said members, one of said rods projecting beyond the housing with its free end shaped to form a hook, a plunger slidably mounted on said rods between the end members, springs interposed between the plunger and the inner end member, a plunger rod secured to said plunger and slidable in the outer end member, with its outer end projecting beyond the bore and in alignment with the end of the hook, and manually operable means for actuating said plunger to retract said latch member.

2. The construction as dened in claim 1 in which a thumb rest is mounted on the handle and is operably connected with said plunger.

3. The combination as dened in claim 1 in which a centrally disposed threaded rod connects the plunger and the plunger actuating means.

4. A snap hook structure adapted to be mounted in a handle, comprising longitudinally spaced inner and outer end members, rods rigidly connecting said end members, a plunger slidably mounted on said rods, springs interposed between said plunger and the inner end member, one of said rods projecting beyond the handle and being shaped to form a hook, a latch member rigidly connected to said plunger and slidable in the outer end member with its outer end in register with the end of the hook, a thumb rest on said handle, and a rod connecting said thumb rest and the plunger `for actuating said latch member.

5. A construction as defined in claim 4 in which the end of the latch is shouldered to form a pilot, and the end of the hook bored to receive and accommodate the shouldered end of the latch.

HERBERT J. STALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

